"We don't feel like we have an iPhone deficit. We would love to carry it when we get there, but we have to earn it," Seidenberg said.

"I think 4G will accelerate the process, and any other decisions Apple makes would be fine with us," he added. "Hopefully, at some point Apple will get with the program."

Either way, it will be an interesting couple of months comming up. Verizon is currently the largest carrier in the US and they have promised 4G LTE in 30 NFL markets by the end of 2010. AT&T is also working on their 4G network with promises of a mid-2011 rollout.

What do you think, will a Verizon iPhone happen soon on CDMA, will they wait for 4G, or will it just never happen? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

@Arin
" i doubt they will release a BRAND NEW phone (the only one at that) that will have the hybrid chip you’re talking about until they’re ready to roll out a fully national network"
-- then it will be in 2012 or later before you see an LTE phone from Verizon. LTE is an entirely different technology than CDMA. It requires completely different equipment both on the tower and and the switch. They are focusing on the central parts of major metros (so in your example only Seattle's center to 10-20 miles out for now). Look at what Sprint has done with WIMAX. Just the major metros so far and it will be another 2 years before they cover everything. Note LTE and WIMAX use almost identical equipment and can theoretically be flashed to the other protocol.
I'm not saying there won't be a Verizon iPhone in 2011. There may well be. But there won't be an LTE only version for 2 years. It must have CDMA too or it will not be usable on a majority of their network for the useful life of the phone.

another side note about the LTE roll out promise:
regardless of what phone VZW unveils the LTE network on, the limitations of which you speak will be prevalent, right? so there's got to be a deeper evolution happening within Verizon during this transition. and i doubt they will release a BRAND NEW phone (the only one at that) that will have the hybrid chip you're talking about until they're ready to roll out a fully national network

@Homie
Let's break down what you've stated (as you did)
"the country is much larger than 30 major metro areas" - yes, but the "promise" did not say the metro areas of 30 NFL markets, it just said 30 NFL markets... and this would be an example to prove my point: the Seattle Seahawks market is not exclusive to the Seattle metro area. It expands to a vast majority of western Washington (this seems to be widely misunderstood)
"the rumor was 2012 BUT most feel there were renegotiations" - negative, my friend. the new rumors resurfaced about the time the 3G came out, that Apple reduced the 5-year contract to a 4-year contract. but, either way, my formula is ASSUMING rumors are TRUE.
"Maybe. That would be nice" - Again... my formula is ASSUMING rumors are TRUE.
"Only if it is an LTE/CDMA hybrid" - I've justified (a little) my solution.
I will add, however, that I'm not entirely sure on the bandwidth procedures (so correct me if i'm wrong), but from my understanding, LTE stands for "Long-term evolution"... which has been described as a semi permanent bandwidth that will "evolve" into what is needed (instead of doing the whole EDGE, 3G, 4G WiMax, EVDO kind of thing). This tells me (again, i don't specialize in this at all) that LTE can add the necessary attributes to include the CDMA/GSM bandwidths necessary to operate on their respective networks, right? And it would seem to me that, if it IS possible, it would be a next-to-effortless accomplishment (or that they've been doing what they can to migrate the LTE network with either network in preparation of a release).

@Arin,
You are not very good at math :)
"VZW LTE to most of America (30 of 32 NFL markets) by year’s end"
- Dude, the country is much larger than 30 major metro areas. That is not even 30-40% of the population of the US.
"AT&T loses iPhone exclusivity beginning next year"
- Actually, the rumor was 2012 BUT most feel there were renegotiations esp. around the iPad
"3 million VZW iPhones made in December"
- Maybe. That would be nice
"= Verizon LTE iPhone Q1 2011…"
- Only if it is an LTE/CDMA hybrid. THERE is no way there will be an LTE only phone until 2012 late or 2013. You wouldn't be able to drive 30 miles from a major metro and use it. It would be worthless. Imagine a Sprint EVO 4G w/o CDMA? You could use it w/in a 10-20 mile radius of the top 30 cities in the US.
I hope there is a CDMA/LTE hybrid, but it will have CDMA if we see it in the next 18 months.

ok... i got bored of reading the comments. I'm sorry if it's been said, but i haven't seen it ANYWHERE:
(PROMISE FROM VZW) Verizon will roll out 4G LTE to 30 NFL markets by the end of 2010; (FACT) there are 32 teams currently in the National Football League (obviously spanned across the US)... yes, this fact is important to my calculation; (RUMOR) AT&T's exclusivity contract is ending at the beginning of 2011; (RUMOR) Apple has 3 million Verizon iPhones being made in December... i haven't read "CDMA", i've read "Verizon".
OK let's do the math now (ASSUMING all rumors are true):
VZW LTE to most of America (30 of 32 NFL markets) by year's end + AT&T loses iPhone exclusivity beginning next year + 3 million VZW iPhones made in December = Verizon LTE iPhone Q1 2011... I'm just sayin. It adds up to me, but hey, I know it's a 1000 yd shot in the dark.

It was rumored that Verizon was working on a telephony over Rev A project. Perhaps that's what he meant by "we have to earn it." Is there actually anything other than rumors over what actually broke down the talks between Verizon and Apple originally?

All of you seem to forget that Apple chose CDMA technology with Verizon before GSM. Then Verizon being the demigods that they are weren't impressed and really wanted full control. So the argument of surfing the web and talking is a moot point at best.

please, for the love of god and the sake of humanity, stop the verizon iPhone rumors. it's beyond old. it's beyond beating poor dead horse to death. we've moved into a territory that hasn't even had cliches made for it yet.

All this talk of an verizon iphone cmda vs lte technology is tiring. All these people who complain about att are probably on verizon and can't get the Iphone now cuz they are on their mom's family plan and have no control on when they can switch their carriers. Att has been awesome with the iphone they have had it since day one and spite it all the issues they have done a great job.
If verizon could have been the exclusive carrier they would have recevied the same hate that att has now. A verizon phone on cmda technology to me is unacceptable. I talk and use my gps or talk and surf way to much to have that option ripped from me by going to a cmda version.
When both carriers get LTE tech then I am all for att exculsivity to end it will provide competion and ease the strain on a great att network where i live. (I am in Minneapolis)
So all you trolls living in your mom's basement go outside find a girl and realize their is life outside of living in rumorville. Att has the iphone verizon doesn't. get over it

Yet Ms Amy at Bloomberg is still clinging on to these rumors based on some scant information from an "insider."
AT&T is already testing LTE, so is MetroPCS too. And here we have Verizon saying that they would love to carry the iPhone.
Look what they've done for Android... hmm.. not really what people had envisioned.

I must be confused. I don't understand the thinking that they could skip CDMA and go with LTE anytime in the near future.
Folks even at the end of next year it will just be major metro areas with LTE. How do you think people will use their phones when they drive between cities or are out in the far suburbs? Any iPhone on Verizon prior to 2013 or 2014 will HAVE to be a CDMA/LTE phone and not LTE only.
Unless you want to just use it in major metro areas....

With Verizon coming out with their own App store for BB and Android they will certainly want to do the same for the Appstore for iPhone. We all know Apple won't have any of this; thus starts the huge fight and Verizon will be iPhone-less. I guessed the CDMA chips for iPhones were for the Chinese made iPhones. Aren't they not cdma?

I know for me personally, I have waited for about 4 years now for Verizon to get it's own act together, and nothing. I don't care if they get an iPhone because I will be getting my own and my wife's today, not to mention saving $50 a month on service. Here's hoping at&t doesn't suck to bad...

@JoeBlow, as far as I know, "4G" has it's issues as well. There's no guarantee the various variants will work together, so it's possible you could have one 4G variant for one network and another for another network...

On Verizon Q1 2011. Why would Verizon admit it's coming their way and dry up renewals that they're hoping go into the Android flavor of the week phone? They subsidize then discount these phones already. Their situation would be far worse if word got out that the iPhone was on the way no matter how much profit they make off a customer.

I think the CDMA iPhone "rumors" for EOY are for release on Sprint, they have the most available bandwidth and their aggressive pricing will push AT&T to lower prices (the high MRC is really the only roadblock left for many customers). It makes sense for Apple to launch on a network with fewer initial bandwidth issues and an ability to drive the cost of ownership down. If the argument against such a partnership with Sprint is bad service and bad customer service, remember AT&T was notorious for the same thing when they launched iPhone 1. New technology has never been a driving force with Apple, the company notorious for giving it's customers things that have been around for sometimes years and making them feel grateful to get it (iPhone MMS, multitasking, etc.)

Skip the dying CDMA technology and go straight to LTE. It makes sense for Apple to go that route since both ATT and Verizon are moving that way in the near future. Send the CDMA phones that are supposedly being manufactured over to China and lets move on.

I think Verizon has chosen to pass on the Windows Phone7 so they can focus on the super secret CDMA iPhone that is in development. Given recent breaches I am sure Apple would tell them to deny all rumors of it and also to pass on the Microsoft product for at least the launch period.
I am in the know.

It is no longer in Apples best interest to stay with ATT exclusivity (IMO). When a single 4g LTE phone can be made for multiple networks apple will be on-board to sell to multiple carrier.
And notice Seidenberg said "we have to earn it" as well as "any other decision Apple makes would be fine with us." sounds like Apple is negotiating from a position of strength--just were they like it.

I recently switched from Verizon to AT&T and so far I've no problems with the service except flakey reception in my basement of my house. However I don't see Verizon getting the iPhone. I think AT&T will do anything in their power to hold onto that phone. If Verizon gets it I may switch back however I get a discount through work, so it is unlikely.